Substance use disorders: GMC Anantnag’s ‘ATF’ relocated for privacy of patients

Anantnag, June 27: GMC Anantnag has recently relocated the Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) to a more secure location, aiming to enhance the comfort and privacy of patients seeking treatment for substance abuse.
The ATF at the Department of Psychiatry, GMC Anantnag, established in August 2022, is supported by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and supervised by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS Delhi. The facility provides outpatient services, including diagnosis and various treatment methods free of cost.
According to data available with Rising Kashmir, in its inaugural year of 2022, the ATF clinic registered 313 drug-addicted patients, recorded 1,147 patient visits, and provided counselling to 197 patients.
Prof (Dr.) Rukhsana Najeeb, Principal of GMC Anantnag, said that from 2022 to 31 May, 2024, 1,337 patients were registered with ATF Anantnag. During this period, patients made 36,418 visits to the facility. Additionally, the facility provided 3509 counseling sessions and dispensed more than four lac tablets free of cost as provided under the scheme. The ATF is located in room number 216 at GMC in an ambient atmosphere.
“The facility offers outpatient services for the diagnosis and management of substance use disorders using both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. We also treat co-morbid mental and medical conditions,” added Dr. Rukhsana.
Dr. Mansoor Ahmad, Head department of psychiatry GMC Anantnag, said that Anantnag has recorded the highest number of registrations in the past six months. This indicates two things: people are coming forward for treatment, and the location of the ATF at GMC gives it an advantage.
He said that the monthly visits by substance users range from approximately 2,500 to 2,700, out of around 1,350 registered patients. This high number of visits is due to the new treatment approach, which requires patients to visit the clinic every other day.
“The positive development is that the number of new substance users is decreasing significantly, thanks to efforts to disrupt the supply chain. The patients we see now are often those who have relapsed and are returning for treatment,” he added.
Dr. Mansoor said that the majority of patients are opioid users, primarily using heroin and brown sugar. These opioid users typically either smoke or inject the substances, with injection being the more common method. The ATF primarily treats these opioid users.
“Drug abuse is a significant problem, but the government has been actively addressing it through initiatives such as NCORD, Nasha Mukht Abhiyan, and other measures. Importantly, crackdowns on drugs have led to a shortage of substances, resulting in an uptick in ATF registrations as users seek help to alleviate withdrawal symptoms,” he added.
Dr. Mansoor said that the primary age group involved in substance use is 15 to 30 years. However, with continued initiatives against drugs, this age group may shift to 25 to 40 years.
He said that they have plans to start inpatient department (IPD) services, although he feels that for this type of treatment, outpatient department (OPD) services are usually cater to majority of their needs. He said there is a strong staff at ATF Anantnag, which includes four to five supervising psychiatrists, a medical officer, and three DNB students specializing in psychiatry.
“We recently relocated the ATF to a separate area with strong support from the Principal of GMC. This relocation has alleviated patient discomfort and provided a secure, private environment for treatment,” Dr. Mansoor added.